(i) Technical Field
The present invention relates to a charged particle generator, a charging device, and an image forming apparatus.
(ii) Related Art
As a scheme for charging an image carrier of an image forming apparatus, a scorotron charging scheme utilizing corona discharge is used in some cases. In the scorotron charging scheme, a member to be charged is charged in a non-contact manner. As another charging scheme, a charging-roller scheme in which a charging process is performed by causing discharge to occur in a very small spacing that is generated between a semiconducting charging roller and an image carrier when the charging roller rotates in contact with the image carrier is used in some cases.